Acer palmatum tree named ‘Chacer01’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Acer palmatum  tree named ‘CHACER01’ is disclosed, characterized by a unique stem arrangement giving the appearance of contortions by having branches with 30° to 45° bends at variable intervals. Plants are reasonably fast growing for a dwarf  Acer palmatum  with approximately 10 to 15 cm of growth per year with a maximum height of 1.2 meters. Fall color is orange/red autumn and leaf size of similar size and shape as the original common  Acer palmatum . The new variety is a dwarf tree, typically used for outdoor garden or container use.

Latin name of the genus and species: Acer palmatum.

Variety denomination: ‘CHACER01’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of chance discovery. The new variety wasdiscovered as a chance seedling emerging among a planting of variousAcer palmatum trees. The inventor discovered this seedling in 1998 at acommercial nursery in Toolangi, Victoria, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘CHACER01’ was first performedduring 1998 at a commercial nursery in Toolangi, Victoria, Australia.This was conducted by the conventional commercial practice of graftingsemi-softwood cuttings onto Acer palmatum seedling rootstock. Subsequentpropagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar arestable and have been reproduced true to type for five successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘CHACER01’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘CHACER01’ grown in Toolangi, Australia. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘CHACER01’ as a new anddistinct Acer palmatum cultivar:

-   -   1. Variable stem arrangement giving the appearance of        contortions by having branches with 30 to 45° bends at informal        intervals.    -   2. Reasonably fast growing for a dwarf Acer palmatum tree with        approximately 10 to 15 cm of growth per year to a maximum height        of around 1.2 meters.    -   3. Orange/red Autumn coloration of the leaf.    -   4. Foliage of similar size and shape to common Acer palmatum.

PARENT COMPARISON

The breeder cannot confirm parent varieties, as several Acer palmatumvarieties were present in the planting in which the new variety wasdiscovered.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘CHACER01’ are similar to plants of Acerpalmatum ‘Kamagata’, unpatented, in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘CHACER01’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. The new variety has a variable and contorted stem        arrangement, whereas this comparator has a uniform and straight        stem arrangement.    -   2. The new variety has medium leaf lobe length, whereas        ‘Kamagata’ has long leaf lobe length.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘CHACER01’ are similar to plants of theunpatented commercial variety, Acer palmatum ‘Yatsubusa Kashima’ in mosthorticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar‘CHACER01’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. The new variety has a variable occurring and contorted stem        arrangement, whereas this comparator has formal and straight        stem arrangement.    -   2. The new variety has orange/red autumn foliage color, whereas        ‘Yatsubusa Kashima’ has yellow/orange autumn foliage color.    -   3. The new variety has an overall height of 1.2 meters, whereas        the parent has an overall height of 1.8 meters.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘CHACER01’ are similar to plants of theunpatented commercial variety Acer palmatum ‘Mikawa Yatsubusa’ in mosthorticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new cultivardiffer in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety has a relatively medium to fast growth rate,        whereas the comparator has a relatively slow growth rate.    -   2. The new variety has medium leaf size, whereas the comparator        has a large leaf size.    -   3. The new variety has an overall plant height of 1.2 meters,        whereas the comparator has an overall plant height of 1.8        meters.    -   4. While the new variety ‘CHACER01’ has short internode spacing        the comparator has shorter internode spacing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical tree of ‘CHACER01’ grown outdoors, with some Fall coloration tothe foliage. Age of the tree in FIG. 1 is approximately 3.5 years.

FIG. 2 illustrates the contorted branch pattern on a fully deciduoustree of the new variety. Age of the tree photographed in FIG. 2 isapproximately 7 years.

The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 1995 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘CHACER01’ plants grown outdoors and in anursery in Toolangi, Victoria, Australia (37° 30′36″S, 145° 27′52″E, 203meters above sea level). Temperature ranged from approximately 12° C. to25° C. during the day and from approximately 5° C. to 18° C. at night.Plants were measured during late Autumn. Age of the plants whendescribed is approximately 3.5 years old. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Acer palmatum ‘CHACER01’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 50 to 60 days at approximately 25° C.-   Root description: Fibrous. Fine, brown roots not accurately measured    with an R.H.S. chart.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright, randomly branched dwarf tree.-   Pot size of described plant: 15 cm pot.-   Height: 50 to 60 cm.-   Plant spread: 20 to 30 cm.-   Branch internode length: 1 to 5 cm.-   Branch characteristics:    -   -   Length.—Main branches are 25 to 30 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 to 0.5 cm.        -   Texture.—Mottled, slightly rough to smooth going into new            season growth.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 148A, with reddish tinge on            newer growth. Reddish tinge not accurately measured with            R.H.S. chart.-   Aspect and angle: Slight zigzag appearance angled from trunk of    between 30 to 45° angle with secondary and tertiary laterals at    irregular intervals also at 30 to 45° angles with laterals having    the slight zigzag characteristic.-   Trunk characteristics:    -   -   Diameter.—0.6 to 1.0 cm. Measured approximately 8 to 10 cm            above soil level.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 148A.-   Other branch and trunk characteristics:    -   -   Lenticels present.—Yes.        -   Lenticel diameter.—0.2 to 0.3 cm.        -   Lenticel density.—Moderate.        -   Lenticel color.—Near RHS White 155C.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, rarely sub-opposite.        -   Average length.—Approximately 5.5 cm including petiole.        -   Average width.—Approximately 4.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Palmately lobed. Lobe depth average 2.5 cm.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obcordate.        -   Margin.—Doubly serrate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth with raised veins.        -   Texture of lower surface.—Smooth with raised veins.        -   Leaf internode length.—Average range 1.0 to 2.0 cm.        -   Typical leaf emergence day.—Early September in Victoria,            Australia.        -   Typical leaf fall date.—Mid-May in Victoria, Australia.        -   Color.—Young foliage: Upper side: Near RHS Yellow-Green            146C. Under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 146D. Mature            foliage: Upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Under side: Near            RHS Green 137C. Mature Fall foliage: Upper side: Near RHS            Greyed-Red 179B. Under side: Near RHS Greyed-Orange 173C.-   Foliage:    -   -   Venation.—Type: Palmate. Color: Venation color upper side:            Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B. Venation color under side: Near            RHS Yellow-Green 144B. Petiole: Length: Average 2.0 cm.            Diameter: Average 0.1 cm. Color: Upper side: Near RHS            Red-Purple 59B. Under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.

FLOWER

-   Flowering production not yet observed.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Tolerant to normal diseases.-   Pest resistance: Unknown.-   Drought resistance: Tolerant of drought conditions.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to high temperatures, to more than    40° C., determined in Toolangi, Australia. Cold temperature    tolerance unknown.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Acer palmatum treenamed ‘CHACER01’ as herein illustrated and described.